Massive boost for satellite capacity by 2020

Paris-based research company Euroconsult, in its latest report (High Throughput Satellites: Vertical Market Analysis & Forecasts), says there is going to be a significant increase in High Throughput Satellites (HTS) over the next few year, and with each of these new satellites capable of delivering extra capacity into the market.

Euroconsult reminds us that over the past 10 years there have been just 36 HTS communications satellites launched, and mostly used for DTH broadcasting. Euroconsult says that the satellite industry has invested almost $19 billion in new capacity and these new satellites are now beginning to come on stream. “About 100 geostationary-HTS systems are expected to launch from 2017 to 2025, at an average of 11 launches per year.”

“After relatively low net additions of HTS supply in 2015 and 2016, due in part to slippage of launch schedules, capacity supply is now set to more than double to nearly 2,000 Gb/s by 2018, reaching roughly 3,600 Gb/s by 2020,” said Brent Prokosh, Senior Consultant at Euroconsult and contributor to the report. “Nevertheless, the growth in GEO-HTS is to be overshadowed by the emergence of non-geostationary (NGSO) constellation projects. NGSO-HTS constellation projects are building momentum, promising massive volumes of capacity supply, low latency and global (or near-global) coverage. While it is highly unlikely that all will come to fruition, NGSO-HTS projects such as the continued expansion of SES’ O3b fleet of MEO satellites, OneWeb, SpaceX, Telesat and LeoSat would combine to account for over $20 billion of required investment capital and add upwards of 40 Tb/s of supply.”